Movie Review: Rogue One

It has already been a year since Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out, and we already have another film in the universe. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was ambitious because it was the first film to not be included in the traditional Star Wars episodes. I was intrigued, but didn’t find myself overly excited once trailers started to come out for the film. I have been fond of actress Felicity Jones for a few years now though, and felt that she would be strong in the lead role. That role is Jyn Orso, a rebel prisoner. After her mother’s murder and being separated from her father, she has been on her own for many years. Her father is one of the brains behind the  Death Star, the Empire’s most deadly weapon, and she is tasked with stealing the plans, giving the Rebellion the hope they need to stop their tyranny. Jyn joins a group of others, including a scene-stealing droid name K-2SO, who work together to put a stop to the Empire’s plot. Essentially, Rogue One is the story behind the opening scrawl of the original Star Wars film, A New Hope. 

I enjoyed the film for what it was and the final 15 minutes or so are especially brilliant, leaving viewers shaking with a terrifying look at the most classic Star Wars character, Darth Vader. You’ll want to go home and watch A New Hope with the new perspective the film gives you, even as somber the ending may be. The film wasn’t perfect though in the sense that a there wasn’t a whole lot of time to invest in the characters and it all feels a bit bleak in tone. I guess this is the most true to the whole “wars” aspect of Star Wars though, and this film makes it more clear how important these missions are and how many lives are in danger from the threats that surround them in the galaxy. Although I said the characters don’t get much time to truly shine, I enjoyed the mix of characters a lot and wished there was more time with them. To some, they maybe seem more “bland," but I enjoyed their different personalities and found them to be a unique combination of allies. I am a bit bummed we won’t really be seeing these characters in Episode 8 next year, because I found a few characters a bit over the top in that film, and maybe would have preferred the characters from this film. In the end, the film is a solid entry into the Star Wars universe, and with a lot more films to come, I am hopeful that they will expanding the story in a positive way.